Mikena VanLiere - EmBe

The CEO Column: December 2021

Mikena VanLiere2022-01-03T15:02:57-06:00

The CEO Column: Structured to Grow Building Resilience into the Four Pillars of EmBe by Kerri Tietgen As a pioneering organization founded on the heels of the women’s suffrage movement, EmBe has sustained itself through the most disruptive events in history. From the Great Depression to World War II and from the Great Recession to our ongoing battle against COVID-19, EmBe leaders have prioritized women, children, and families above all else, anticipating and meeting their needs through every twist in history. This is why it feels so darn odd to talk about building resilience into a century-old organization, particularly one [...]

The CEO Column: December 2021Mikena VanLiere2022-01-03T15:02:57-06:00

Staff Spotlight: Michele Leiferman, Lead Teacher of Nursery One

Mikena VanLiere2022-01-03T14:49:58-06:00

Staff Spotlight: Michele Leiferman, Lead Teacher of Nursery One Michele Leiferman has been in the business of childcare for about 30 years. With more than five of those years spent caring for the kids of EmBe, she has worked closely with many kids and families, helping them transition in big and small ways. But whether a child is graduating from bottles to solid food or from her room to another, she knows all changes are big at this stage. And she knows the weight of her role. "When they grow out of my room and go to 2s, they still [...]

Staff Spotlight: Michele Leiferman, Lead Teacher of Nursery OneMikena VanLiere2022-01-03T14:49:58-06:00

The CEO Column: November 2021

Mikena VanLiere2021-11-19T14:52:57-06:00

The CEO Column: November 2021 EmBe CEO Kerri Tietgen reflects on the organization’s 100-year history of programming and leadership in the region. This year’s end marks a century of anticipating and meeting the needs of women and families in our region. We were the first to offer women a dedicated place in the community, the first to bring preschool to the region, the first to open a pool in downtown Sioux Falls, and now–the first in our region to vocally, and perhaps, vehemently value the work of women. At EmBe, we recognize that our mission of empowering women and families is “powered [...]

The CEO Column: November 2021Mikena VanLiere2021-11-19T14:52:57-06:00

FIRST LEGO League supports compassion and life-long learning skills

Mikena VanLiere2021-10-26T16:04:51-05:00

Christoph and his wife Angie first joined the FIRST LEGO League community when their two sons were in kindergarten and second grade at Eugene Field Elementary. They started a team with students who already knew one another. After discovering a learning disability, Christoph and Angie’s sons took a year break from participating in the program, ultimately rejoining FIRST LEGO League a year later. “FIRST LEGO Leagues’ easy integration with standard sports or other school-based social activities, we found an outlet and a home in FIRST through EmBe,” Christoph states. “Our kids could express themselves and gain long-term social skills as well as [...]

FIRST LEGO League supports compassion and life-long learning skillsMikena VanLiere2021-10-26T16:04:51-05:00

Staff Highlight: Rebekah Warmbrand, Lead Teacher 5B

Mikena VanLiere2021-10-20T09:41:12-05:00

At EmBe, we are proud to serve the community by providing quality educational opportunities to inspire children to be confident, independent thinkers. Without our amazing team of teachers, this wouldn’t be possible. Our teachers help provide a safe and fun environment to facilitate the growth and development of children in our community. Teachers like Rebekah Warmbrand, 5B Lead Teacher at EmBe South, are the heart and soul of our organization. Rebekah’s responsibilities involve caring for a classroom of 4- and 5-year-olds. She also completes lesson plans and prep each week and works closely with her assistant teachers and other staff [...]

Staff Highlight: Rebekah Warmbrand, Lead Teacher 5BMikena VanLiere2021-10-20T09:41:12-05:00

The CEO Column: August 2021

Mikena VanLiere2021-08-24T11:48:31-05:00

The CEO Column: August 2021 CEO Kerri Tietgen reflects on how this year has prepared all of us for life's curveballs and the resiliency of our community. Have you ever considered the illustrious ‘the perfect plan?’ What plans did you have for this summer? What plans do you have for the rest of the year? As we close our summer and transition into fall schedules, back to school activities and a new season, I’m reflecting on our ‘perfect plans’ and the many lessons learned over the last couple of years. As the plan for back to school rolls out and [...]

The CEO Column: August 2021Mikena VanLiere2021-08-24T11:48:31-05:00

EmBe Announces 2021 Women’s Leadership Program Cohort

Mikena VanLiere2021-08-20T14:13:57-05:00

In preparation for its tenth cohort, EmBe has accepted 28 participants for the Women’s Leadership Program. Beginning in September, these women embark on a 17-month program with the intent to develop and deliver on a personal development program. Informational sessions, exercise and assessments, a retreat, and a broad range of presenters and panels are all part of the course which is updated annually. In addition to developing a robust personal network with classmates, presenters and mentors, the group benefits from exposure to time-tested tools and techniques that combine insight, introspection and goal setting. “The first section focuses on exploration and [...]

EmBe Announces 2021 Women’s Leadership Program CohortMikena VanLiere2021-08-20T14:13:57-05:00

EmBe is Accepting Applications for 2021 Women’s Leadership Class

Mikena VanLiere2021-05-04T11:36:06-05:00

(Sioux Falls, SD - May 5, 2021) – EmBe is currently accepting participant applications for the 2021 EmBe Women's Leadership Program. Designed by leaders in the community, the leadership program helps empower women to reach their greatest potential. Since its inception in 2011, over 250 women have completed the program. Women in any career field can benefit from this intensive course, which combines a strong personal development focus along with valuable professional development experiences. Participants will also gain the opportunity to create important personal and professional relationships with other future leaders, mentors and facilitators for lifetime support. "I now have [...]

EmBe is Accepting Applications for 2021 Women’s Leadership ClassMikena VanLiere2021-05-04T11:36:06-05:00

The CEO Column: April 2021

Mikena VanLiere2021-04-23T14:36:23-05:00

(Sioux Falls, SD, April 23, 2021) - Empowering you to be…. Not surprisingly, these words keep running through my mind like a cadence, a mantra and a challenge since joining EmBe. That, in conjunction with a recent Slack post asking, “when what would your occupation be if you followed your childhood dreams,” has me reflecting. When I was a child, I didn’t have the same aspirations as most kids did… well, beyond wanting to be a Solid Gold Dancer, I wanted to grow up to be my dad. He was the Adult and Community Education Director in my hometown. Yep [...]

The CEO Column: April 2021Mikena VanLiere2021-04-23T14:36:23-05:00

Alex Helvin: South Childcare Site Manager

Mikena VanLiere2021-04-16T15:25:29-05:00

We are so excited to highlight and welcome Alex Helvin, our new South Childcare Site Manager, to the EmBe team. As the Childcare Site Manager, Alex provides daily management to the childcare site, leadership, supervision and development of childcare staff, along with parent communications and admissions. Alex is certainly not "new" in the sense of joining EmBe's team. Helvin started at EmBe when she was young and grew up within the company. "I have learned and developed both personally and professionally through my experiences with EmBe," Helvin started. "A lot of the foundational skills stem from what I built with [...]

Alex Helvin: South Childcare Site ManagerMikena VanLiere2021-04-16T15:25:29-05:00

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